“It’s nice to get out there and play a course that I know. Obviously, it’s different than what I remembered, because it’s normally not this dry, not normally this quick. So we get this every now and again with the Santa Ana’s blowing. It’s a little dry, but normally it’s not like this.”

By most players’ standards you’ve had a solid 2012. What do you look for in 2013 for it to be a successful season for you?

“Just improving what I’m doing. Becoming more efficient with what I’m doing. I would have to say the majority of the year I hit it pretty good, but my putting and short game weren’t quite there. I spent so much time on ball striking that that finally came around.

“So towards the end of the season, I was able to spend more time with my chipping and putting and that’s come around. So now I’ve got to marry up both of those two combos and hopefully I can do it this year and do it on a consistent basis.”

Is it harder to win on Tour now than when you first came up?

“I’d say it’s deeper, yes. There is no doubt. Each generation, it gets a little more difficult. The spread between the leader and the cut is no longer 13 shots, 12, 13 shots. Sometimes it’s as few as 8, so you’ve got 70 plus guys within 8 shots of the lead going into the weekend.

“That’s a big jump. That’s certainly been probably the biggest difference is that you have more guys going into a weekend with a chance to win, and they are. They can win from anyplace. The gap’s gotten smaller in that regard. You have the equipment changes, the balls just don’t move as much. The faces are bigger and faster, and consequently, the guys hit the ball straighter.”

Phil Mickelson made some comments regarding the higher taxes here in California. You being a resident now of Florida, but from here, any comment or any reaction to what he said?

“Well, I moved out of here back in ’96 for that reason. I enjoy Florida, but also I understand what he was, I think, trying to say. I think he’ll probably explain it better and in a little more detail.”

We’re coming up on the fifth anniversary of your win here at the 2008 U.S. Open. Do you look back at that week often? When you do, what stands out?

“I do look at that week often. I remember several things. No. 1 that comes to my mind every time I look at it or see highlights of it is just pure pain that I was in (with a damaged left knee that would require surgery a few days after the tournament). I don’t ever want to experience that again. That was a very, very difficult week.

“Having to go five days, I really don’t know how I quite got the five days and got through it. But I definitely never, ever want to experience that again, that part of it.

“The other part was how I got off to such beautiful starts on the first hole each day (three double bogeys and a bogey on the first hole of his first four rounds), beautiful starts. Then having to recover from there and work my way back. Then I think Saturday afternoon was a pretty cool little back nine stretch where I had a little bit of a run. And the putt on 18 to get into (Monday’s playoff) it was certainly a putt I’ll never, ever forget.”

I heard something interesting in that the first two things you said were negatives. The pain, which was obvious, and then the first hole. Is that a golfer’s nature to think about those things first because there were so many amazing things?

“There were a lot of amazing things, but, man, here I am just talking about it and my hands are sweating just thinking about the feeling I had to get through each and every day. Just trying to get up and having to warm up again and go to the gym. I just don’t want to move. Then having to get out here and warm up and trying not to show you guys and any of my competitors what I was feeling. It was a very difficult week.”

Your thoughts on the U.S. Open ever coming back to Torrey, and are you in favor of that?

“Absolutely, absolutely. I think they’ve proven that they can host a great U.S. Open here. We, as players, play here each and every year, and we love the golf course. It’s hard.

“And I think the USGA is trying to make a concerted effort ever since ‘02 going to Bethpage for the first time and big public venues. This is the West Coast version. And it was amazing. The turnout, the fans, the support, the crowds, I mean, it was just a great atmosphere.

“I think with having the other golf course right here for parking and all that, I certainly think Torrey Pines and everyone here involved in it really made this tournament special, and I think the USGA will definitely come back.”